916 ZXJNI KATCINAS [eth. asn.47 



is wise, Ahe'a.'^ Then she took her pot of pumpkin stew and poured 

 it into a bowl and set it out. The fly came along and went right for 

 it because it was sweet. She burned her tongue. That is why the 

 f\j has never been able to talk since then and could not tell the 

 Ahayute where the corn maids were hiding. 



The Ahayute had bows and arrows. They used their arrows 

 with the points down so that they could go up easily. They went 

 up to the sky. They went all around and did not see anything but 

 the wind. So they came down and they went out in all directions, to 

 the west and to the east and everj'where. Whenever they went out 

 the priests did not eat and did not drink and did not go out. 

 They just sat in their room until midnight waiting for them. Then 

 after the third night they came back and said, "Now, our fathers, 

 now this is the third night. We have been everywhere and could not 

 find them. We have always helped you. Everything you have asked 

 we have been able to do. This is the first time we have failed. We 

 are not wise enough. Someone else must be wise to find them for 

 you. W^e can not find them." The Ahayute had brought the 

 people up when they were down under the earth and they had always 

 been able to help them, but now they knew there was someone wiser 

 than they who had hidden the Corn Maids. Then they said, "There is 

 someone you could try. Tiy Ne'we-kwe. He might be able to find 

 the com maids. We have heard that he is as wise as we are. We have 

 always heard that." 



So they called a Ne'we^kwe man. They sent for him and he came 

 to the ceremonial room of the town chief and he asked them, "^'VTly 

 have you sent forme?" They said, "You know that we have been 

 starving for four years. We have sent our children to look for the 

 Corn Maids. We have sent three times and no one has found them. 

 Now we want you to work on prayer sticks for your Ne'wekwe. We 

 know him. He always sits on the Milky Way." So the Ne'we'kwe 

 planted prayer sticks for Mm to come. Finally he came in the night 

 after sunset. He came in and sat down and he asked, "Now I have 

 come. I would like to hear why you have sent for me." Then the 

 chief priest answered and said, "We have been starving for four 

 years. We have tried three times, and none of our children have 

 been able to find the Corn Maids. They have not found them at all. 

 The Corn Maids must be somewhere. We want them to come back 

 so that we may have crops again, and so that my children may be 

 happy." So he said. Then Ne'we'kwe answered, "Yes, indeed, I 

 shall try. I shall see what I can do. But now I shall ask you people 

 if you really want the Corn Maids to come back for four years (he 

 meant four days, but he was Ne'we'kwe;) you wdll not drink and you 

 will not eat and you will sit here and wait for me. You wdll not go 



13 The grandmother of the katcinas. 



